Analysis on slamming characteristics of new sandglass-type model in waves with consideration of motion responses

The innovative sandglass-type FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading unit) presents a promising solution to address the limitations of traditional ship-shaped and cylindrical FPSOs in wave-induced motion responses. This study provides a comprehensive investigation into the nonlinear slamming phenomena on the sandglass-type FPSO, characterized by water-impact events on its flare structures. A combined approach of experimental tests and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations was adopted. The findings reveal that the sandglass-type geometry significantly reduces water-entry slamming by maintaining in-phase motion with waves, with wave-impact slamming becoming the dominant mechanism. Key factors influencing slamming, including body geometry, motion characteristics, and wave parameters, were systematically analyzed. Results indicate that the unique large flare structure of the sandglass-type FPSO significantly mitigates slamming intensity through its heave and pitch motions. Furthermore, the flare structure amplifies wave nonlinearity, leading to stronger slamming effects on the FPSO as wave height and steepness increase. The strongest slamming events were found to occur under waves with extreme height and steepness in specific sea states. This research provides critical insights for evaluating FPSO hydrodynamic performance and establishes a robust framework for investigating nonlinear fluid-structure interactions.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2025.120631
• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0029801825003464
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00298018
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Piao, Tai-wei
  • Wang, Wenhua
  • 0000-0001-7524-7786
  • Wang, Li-jian
  • Geng, Chong
  • 0009-0007-8401-4192
  • Zhang, Ke-dong
  • Huang, Yi
• Publication Date: 2025-4-15

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 120631
• Serial:
  • Ocean Engineering
  • Volume: 323
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Pergamon
  • ISSN: 0029-8018
  • EISSN: 1873-5258
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00298018

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design engineering; Floating structures; Hydrodynamics; Impact loads; Slamming; Wave motion
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01979345
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 11 2026 3:10PM